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TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China has given broader approval for the domestic-made Sinovac coronavirus vaccine, expanding those who can receive it beyond the high-risk and priority groups already allowed under an emergency clearance.

Regulators gave conditional approval for Sinovac Biotech Ltd’s shot, CoronaVac, on Friday, clearing the way for general use, The National Medical Products Administration announced in a statement Saturday

05 Feb 2021; MEMO: For Turkey to secure its status as an economic power and have a voice in the international arena, it needs to continue investing in its defence industry, a senior Turkish official said today.

The defence industry serves as an engine for both the economy and national security, Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank stressed during the opening ceremony of defence contractor Teknokar's new factory in Ankara.

05 Feb 2021; MEMO: The economies of countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region will grow by 3.1 per cent during 2021, compared to 2020's 3.8 per cent contraction due to the repercussions of the coronavirus, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said yesterday.

"The economic recovery in the MENA region will accelerate this year, but in a disproportionate manner," IMF's Director for the Middle East and Central Asia, Jihad Azour, said in a statement.

04 Feb 2021; MEMO: A Conservative Party MP said on Thursday that Britain regards a commercial partnership with the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as one of its top priorities post-Brexit. Dr Liam Fox made his comments in an interview with Asharq News.

Mumbai, Feb 5 (PTI) The RBI on Friday decided to leave the benchmark interest rate unchanged at 4 per cent but maintained an accommodative stance, implying rate cuts in future if need arises to support the economy hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted unanimously to leave the repo rate unchanged at 4 per cent, Governor Shaktikanta Das said while announcing the decisions taken by the panel.

04 Feb 2021; MEMO: Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri arrived in the Egyptian capital Cairo yesterday on an official visit during which he will meet President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and a number of Egyptian officials.

Hariri and his accompanying delegation are also scheduled to meet Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, as well as Arab League Secretary-General, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, to discuss the latest regional developments and the formation of a new Lebanese government.

Israel's new Chargé d'Affaires to Morocco David Govrin confirmed that his government expects direct flights between Israel and Morocco to start within two months.

"An agreement has been reached between the two countries, and we are currently consulting about the procedures," Govrin said in an interview with the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (Kan), confirming that the number of Israeli tourists to Morocco will double.

"All Israeli airlines companies have requested to operate flights to Morocco, in addition to Royal Air Maroc."

THE HAGUE, Feb 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UN’s top court has said it can hear Iran’s bid to overturn US nuclear sanctions re-imposed by Donald Trump, prompting “disappointment” in Washington, which had argued the issue lies outside its jurisdiction.

Iran’s foreign minister swiftly hailed Wednesday’s decision as a “victory” in the case launched three years ago at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

04 Feb 2021; MEMO: Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu yesterday spoke to his British counterpart Dominic Raab, Anadolu news agency reported.

The agency quoted Turkish diplomatic sources as saying that the two ministers discussed bilateral relations as well as the Cyprus file.

The sources did not give further details about the phone call.

04 Feb 2021; MEMO: The unemployment rate in Morocco rose to 11.9 per cent of the working population last year, compared with 9.2 per cent in 2019.

In a report issued yesterday, Morocco's High Commission for Planning (HCP), the country's official national statistics office, attributed the surge in unemployment to the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, and the drought affecting agriculture.